Flying-boat.



L. CRIMAUDO.

FLYING BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7. I91]- Pdtented May 28,1918.

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APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7. I917.

Patented May 28, 1918.-

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L. CRIMAUDO.

FLYING BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7. NH?- 1,267,384. Patented May 28,1918

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FLYING BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 1. I917.

Patented May 28, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

llllllllllllillln ZEMJ/Q 07/2/5006 4 r Patent. Patented M81? 239 igfl-geApplimtlon filed March 7, 1917. Serial No. 158,128.

b To all whom it concern:

the novel construction Be it known that I, LnoNAnno CRIMAUDO,

a subject of the King of Italy, residing at New York in the county ofNew York and State of New York, have invented new and usefulImprovements. in Flying-Boats, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention has to do with flying boats, and the principal objectsthereof are: first, to produce a device of this character, provided withelements arranged in such manner as to adapt it for travel on the land,in the water and through the air; and, second, to provide such a devicewith a main steering mechanism common to the mecha-.

nisms by which the device is guided or steered on the land, in the waterand through the air.

Another object is the provision of a device of this character havinghinged wings or planes which are designed to be reciprocated or flappedin vertical arcs in unison for sustaining flight through the air, andwhich may be brought to rest when the boat is to travel on the land orin the sea.

With the foregoing and other objects,

which will become apparent as the description progresses, the inventionconsists in combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter describedand shown in the accompan drawings, forming ,-'a material part of thisspecification, and in which Flgure 1 is a view in side elevation of thedevice, the operating mechanism being shown in dotted outline, and therudder mechanism being partly broken away.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig.1.

Fig. 3 is a similar view, taken on the line H of Fig. 1.

4 is a cross sectional view, taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a similar view, taken on the line 5-5 of 1.

Fig. 6 is a rear elevational view.

Fig.1 is an elevational view of the main steermg mechanism, showing thesame set in position for steering the device on land.

Fig. 8 is a similar view, but showing the mechanism set in-position forsteering in the water and through the air.

Fig. 9 is a view 1n side elevation of the eccentric means for flappingthe wings, and

Fig. 10 is a detail fragmental view of the steering columnillustratingthe ball and socket joint connection.

In describing the invention in detail reference will first be had toFig. 1, wherein the numeral represents the hull of the boat which isprovided throughout its length with a longitudinal partition or floormg16, upon which is located in the forward end a motor 17, and in thestern motor 18, and adjacent the center therebetween a series ofbatteries 29 representing a source of power for the motors and connectedthrewith with the usual electric wiring connectlons. 21 represents theseat-for the pilot who is protected from the elements by the windshields 22. Secured exteriorly of the bow of the boat on the main driveshaft 23 is an air propeller 24, which serves to propel or drive theboat through the air and also on the land. Secured exteriorly of of theboat on the drive shaft 25, driven by the motor- 18 is a water propeller26" to drive the boat through the water.

Exteriorly hinged to the stern of the boat 3y the hinges 27 and 27' is avertical ruder.28, which is designed to guide or steer it when travelingin the water and throu h the air. To enable it to travel on land, t eboat is provided with a runnin gear which is secured to the underside 0part adjacent the bow, and a part adjacent the stern.

The forward running gear consists of the supporting frame 29, in therear element of which is journaled an inflated wheel 30, and

in the forward element of which is swiveled a shaft 32, having a lowerbifurcated end in which is journaled a similar wheel 31.

The rear running gear consists of the frame 33 carrying an axle 34, towhich are at tached the wheels 35, similar to those carried-b theforward running gear.

As est shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the upper end of the shaft 32 isjournaled in bearing 36 and in angular bracket 37, both secured to theinner side of the hull. Fast on shaft 32 between the bearings 36'. and37 is a rocker arm 38, the free end of which is provided with a toothedgearing-head 38'. Also secured to the innerbottom of the hull is alongitudinal bracket 39 having its opposed ends formed with upwardlyprojecting shoulders or bearings 40 and 40. Revoluble in the bearing 40'and held vertically the 111111, a

75 thestern' employ a in position by the bracket 41, on the verticalsupport 42, is a steerin column 43 carrying at its top end a ban wheel44, ositioned immediately in front of the pi ots seat 21 for convenientmanipulation by the pilot. In order to compensate for the angle it isrequired to make, the-steering column 43 is made in two partsoperatively coupled by means ofthe ball and socket joint 44 providedjust above the bracket 41. vertical portion of the steering column isprovided with a longitudinal lug 45 adapt ed to fit in a groove providedin the hub of the gear 46, and which with the grooved head 38' when atits lowest elevation.

Revolubly mounted at its lower end in the bearing 40 and at its upperend in the bearing 47 provided in the end of the angular bracket 48 is avertical shaft 49 on which is rigidly secured the bevel gear 50. Alsofast on 49, immediately below said bevel gear is a rocker arm 51 whichis formed with a toothed head 51, similar to the head formed with thearm 38, designed to mesh with the gear 46 when in elevated position.

To provide for the shifting of gear 46, I lever 52 which is pivoted atone end as at 53 to abracket 54, and at the other end to a sleeve formedon the underside of said gear 46. Positioned within convenient reach ofthe pilot, and provided with a shank of bell-crank formation, pivoted at55, is an operating lever 56. The lower end of this lever is pivotallyconnected with the forward portion of 52 by a link 57.

J ournaled in the bearing 58 provided inthe bracket 48 is a longitudinalshaft 59 which carries a bevel gear 60 in mesh with the bevel gear 50.As shown in Fig. 1, this shaft 59 extends to the stern of the boat andis supported in the bearings provided in brackets 61 and 62, the latterbracket being angular in form and having at its free end a bearing 63wherein is journaled the lower end of the vertical shaft 64, the upperend of which is journaled in the bracket 65, and provided with a gear 66(Fig. 2). A pair of bevel gears 67 and 68 provide for the transmission.

of motion from shaft 59 to shaft 64. As

best shown in Fig. 2, a transmission arm 69 having a gearing-head inmesh with the gear 66 serves to transmit motion to the rudder28. Fromthe foregoing it will be obvious that vvhen the gear 46 is in mesh withthe rocker arm 38, each movement of the steering column 43 will producea similar turn of wheel 31. Also it will be obvious that when theadjustable gear 46 is raised so as to mesh with the head of thetransmission arm 51, each movement of the steering. column will betransmitted to the rudderg28.

In Fig. 1, it will be seen that the longitudinal shaft 70, journaledinthe bearings as 71 on the under-side ofthe flooring 16, is

The

is adapted to mesh aaeaeee driven by the main shaft 23 through theengaged gears 72 and 73. Asshown in Fig. 5, the shaft 7 0 carries a gearto drive the large gear 74 which has formed on its face an eccentricgroove 75. A horizontal arm 76 is centrally secured to a pin 77 theopposite end of which is provided with a roller 78 (Fig. 9) operative inthe eccentric groove 75. Hinged in the oppositely disposed brackets 79and 79 on the exterior of the hull arewings or planes 80 and 80', whicnare provided with arms 81 and 81' angularly pro ecting therefrom andextending into the hull. Pivotally connecting the free ends of arms 81and 81 with the free ends of the horizontal lever 76 are links 82 and82'. By means of this arrangement, the lever 76 is given a verticalmotion in the same plane when the shaft 70 is rotatated, by -whichmotion the wings 80 and 80' are reciprocated or flapped in vertical arcsonce with each rotation of the shaft. In order to make the flappingmovements of thewings positively uniform, a spring 83 is'employed toconnect the pivoted ends of the arms 81 and 81.

A second pair of wings 84 and 84 are similarly secured near the bow ofthe boat. These are operated by identical mechanism driven b the shaft70. .In this manner I provide or the flapping in unison of the two pairsof wings.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is -1. In a device of the character described,the combination with a hull carrying a running gear including a swiveledwheel, an air propeller carried on the bow of the boat and means fordriving it, a water propeller carried on the stern of the boat andindependent means for driving it,- a rudder car- 2. In a device of thecharacter described,

the combination of a hull provided with a running gear one element ofwhich is a swiveled wheel, an air propeller carried by the bow of thehull, meansfor driving the propeller, a water pro stern of the hull, .inependent means for driving the same a vertical rudder carried by thestern of the hull, wings hi ed hull and adapted to flap in be ng arf I amam steering mechan sm teriorly of the unison in vertical arcs,-saidwings ranged in pairs, adapted to be manipulated to control indepenently the movements of either the swiveller carried by the eled wheel orthe rudder, and means for opder carried by the stern adapted to directthe course of the boat in the water and in the air, and a steeringmechanismcapable of adjustment to control independently the movements ofeither the swiveled wheel or the rudder. I

4:. In a mechanism for flying craft, a steering column one portion ofwhich is vertical, a gear wheel slidable on the vertical portion androtatable therewith, a vertical shaft, .a ground wheel carried thereby,a rocker arm having a toothed gearing-head. associated with the shaft,an arm pivoted at one end to a fixed support and at the other end to thegear wheel, and means connected with said-arm for shifting said gearwheel into and out of mesh with the gearing-head of said rocker.

5. In a mechanism for flying craft, a steer ing column having a lowervertical element, a gear wheel slidable on said vertical element androtatable therewith, a vertical shaft provided with a ground wheel, arocker arm fast on said shaft having a toothed gearing-head on itsfreeend, a second vertical shaft, a similar rocker arm fast thereon buthigher in elevation, an operating lever and means connecting theoperating lever with the gear wheel .by which to shift the latter intoor out of mesh with either of the toothed gearing-heads of said rockerarms.

6. In a mechanism for flying craft, a steering column provided with awheel handle and having a lower vertical element, two shafts securedforrotation parallel to said vertical element but spaced therefrom, arocker arm fast on each shaft and each provided on its free end with atoothed gearinghead, a gear wheel rotatable with and axially movable onthe vertical element, and means for moving said gear wheel so as to meshwhen in one position with the gearing-head of one rocker arm and when inanother position with the gearing-head of the other rocker arm. 7

7. In a mechanism for flying craft provided'with running gear and ruddermechanisms, a steering column having a vertical element, a gear wheelrotatable with and axially movable on the vertical element, a pair ofshafts parallel to said vertical element but spaced therefrom, a rockerarm carried by each shaft and each provided with a toothed gearing-head,said arms being arranged in different horizontal planes, means forshifting the gear wheel into and out of-engagement with each of thetoothed gearin -heads, means carried by one vertical shaft orcontrolling the direction of movement of the running gear and meansoperable by the other vertical shaft for controllin the ruddermechanism.

I n testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

LEONARDO ORUDO.

